Under the Yoke of Ottoman Domination: Slavery and Central European Philhellenism During the Greek War of Independence.

The article examines how German-speaking Central Europeans' philhellenism during the Greek War of Independence (1821–1830) revived longstanding concerns about the enslavement of White, Christian populations under Ottoman and North African Islamic rule, known as the Barbary Problem (Barbareskenfrage). While broader European antislavery efforts increasingly focused on the transatlantic slave trade and New World slavery of Black Africans, Central Europeans prioritized the plight of Christian Greeks enslaved by the Ottoman Empire, intertwining this issue with the Eastern Question in diplomatic and cultural discourse. Influential figures like poet Wilhelm Müller popularized the cause through literature, and German volunteers actively participated in the Greek struggle, reinforcing a narrative that contrasted Christian freedom with Islamic despotism. Despite limited state capacity and international cooperation, Central European interest in Christian slavery persisted into the mid-19th century, shaping their understanding of slavery and complicating their engagement with global abolitionist movements focused on New World slavery.